The town of Lucca is one of our favourite places to visit in Spring. It’s a town made for primavera! The city walls are alive with people on bikes, walking, jogging and making the most of the longer spring days. The squares are perfect to enjoy the sun and relax. There are charming gardens to explore, flower-filled festivals and a market entirely dedicated to everything green.
Ready to embrace the spirit of Spring in lovely Lucca?
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Lucca in Spring – Top Things to See and Do in Lucca during Springtime
Life on the City Wall
One of Lucca’s unique features is its ring of 4-km long city walls. Impressive for their sheer size and grandeur, they were once a defensive structure, today turned into a ‘green circuit-park’, one of the city’s most enjoyable places to explore. You can literally walk on top of the walls, and around the whole town centre.
Spring is definitely a great time to enjoy this highlight of Lucca, by dedicating your time to leisurely strolls along the wall and enjoying the incredible views along the way.
* Discover all the top attractions and best things to do in Lucca.
Join this popular Guided Walking Tour of Lucca led by a local guide and discover all the secrets of this charming town: trace the city’s Roman past, see the birthplace of composer Giacomo Puccini, admire the Medieval buildings along Via Fillungo, visit landmarks like the Cathedral, Piazza Anfiteatro and tower Torre delle Ore.
Historic Garden at the Heart of Lucca
Take a stroll in the Baroque Garden of Villa Pfanner, to enjoy the old-world atmosphere of this elegant palace, famous for its monumental staircase. This historic garden has been used as setting for a many films, including ‘Portrait of a Lady’ by Jane Champion. It’s at its absolute best in Spring, when camellias, azaleas, and roses fill the air with their scent and the eyes with colour.
Where is it: a few steps from Piazza Anfiteatro, in Via degli Asili, 33 – it’s open from 15th March to 31st December. Visit the official site to check special events.
Lucca’s Botanic Garden & Flower Festivals
Garden fans might want to check out the Orto Botanico (Botanical Garden) – that’s at its best throughout Spring. You’ll find orange and purple rhododendrons, pink and white camellias, Mediterranean flora and rare species from other countries. 6 Euro ticket – orari see official site.
On 10th-11th-12th April 2026 the Flower Festival Verdemura enlivens the walls and Botanical garden with hundreds of stalls selling gorgeous plants.
Flower love – Every year in March the small town of Capannori, a few kms. from Lucca, hosts visit the Expo Fair ‘Camelie della Lucchesia’ (see Insta page for updates).
More Spring Opulence near Lucca: Villa Reale di Marlia
Here’s one of our favourite places to visit in Spring, the gorgeous garden of Villa Reale di Marlia. It was once the property of Napoleon’s sister, who transformed this ancient villa into a neoclassical wonderland complete with the splendid 16 hectare park. You can easily spend half a day in this dreamy place, exploring the grotto, the fountains, the hidden Italianate garden, and reconnect with beauty.
The vast collection of camellias – over 40 plants along a charming ‘Japanese style’ path – make it a great destination in March, when the plants are in full bloom.
Saint Zita Festival – A city filled with flowers
Every year, at the end of April, the Saint Zita Fair animates Lucca with thousands of flowers stalls. Countless plants and flowers colour the streets around Piazza San Frediano and Piazza Anfiteatro. All in memory of Saint Zita, a young maid who dedicated herself to feeding the poor. This year it’s on from 23rd to 27th April 2026.
Flowers are used to remember the day when she took some leftover bread to feed the poor and was seen by her employer. But when the rich signore was about to scold her, she opened her apron and instead of bread, roses and flowers came out!
Who was Saint Zita, the saint loved by the lucchesi? The revered Saint Zita, the patron saint of maidens and domestic servants, was living and working in Lucca as a servant when she started performing miracles. She was hardworking, humble and despite the unjust treatment she had to endure in her life, she always tried to help the poor. After her death, a cult was initiated in her name. St. Zita was exhumed in 1580, her body strangely intact and in 1696 she was canonised by the Catholic Church. If you’re up for an unusual sight, her mummified body is in San Frediano Church.
Music Festival in Lucca – from 29th April to 4rd May 2026
Lucca Classica Music Festival has become a fixed appointment of Spring. From morning to late evening the historic centre is filled with music: performances in the squares, churches, theatres.
Lucca relieves its history – ‘Rievocando Lucca’, on May 19th-24th 2026
Lucca Historiae Fest aims to recount the history of the town by using the ramparts of its walls as a time machine. Multi-era historical reconstruction and multimedia tools to travel through two thousand years of Lucca’s history. See the full program on the official site.
Places to Visit near Lucca in Spring
Check out our driving itinerary along the Serchio Valley, to explore its hamlets, woods and the legendary Devil’s bridge. The Serchio Valley is north of Lucca, on the way to Garfagnana region, which is wedged between the Apuan Alps and the Appennines. While until a few years ago it was a well kept secret, It’s getting more and more popular every year.
Visiting in Spring gives the best chance to avoid the many people that come here to escape the heat. Best time to visit the Serchio and Garfagnana Valleys: May and June.
Visit Barga, the most Scottish Town in Tuscany that we fell in love with! Discover all Barga’s secrets and hidden details, including an astronomical phenomena and the mysterious symbols in the Cathedral.
* 3 Unmissable Festivals in Lucca This Spring
Author: Sabrina Nesi, born in Florence, founder of Lovefromtuscany.com, passionate about sharing the beauty of Tuscany and Italy with the world.
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